His scoring milestone also a family first
Abington Friends forward Bryan Cohen garnered family bragging rights after surpassing the 1,000 career-point milestone. "It's kind of cool to do something that my brother didn't do in his high school career," Cohen said of older brother Aron Cohen.
Abington Friends forward Bryan Cohen garnered family bragging rights after surpassing the 1,000 career-point milestone.
"It's kind of cool to do something that my brother didn't do in his high school career," Cohen said of older brother Aron Cohen.
Aron Cohen, a junior guard at Penn, starred at Abington Friends from 2002 to '05.
But as Bryan will gladly point out, the three-time all-Friends School League selection fell short of scoring 1,000 points.
"It really hit me [Friday] night," Bryan said of his being honored at Abington Friends for the family first.
Cohen surpassed the milestone Thursday when he scored a career-high 35 points at Church Farms. The four-year starter takes 1,044 points into tomorrow's final regular-season home game.
Cohen is averaging 18 points, 10 rebounds and two assists this season.
Champions of the South.
Roman Catholic clinched its second Catholic League Southern Division title in three seasons on Friday. The Cahillites (14-3 overall, 11-0 division) have won 23 division titles since 1964. St. Joe's Prep won five titles during that time, while Neumann-Goretti claimed four.
Tight race.
Roman clinched the top seed, but the division's other three playoff spots are still up for grabs. Monsignor Bonner (15-6, 7-4) and Neumann-Goretti (12-9, 7-4) are tied for second place with three games remaining. St. Joe's Prep (13-9, 7-5) and Archbishop Carroll (13-9, 7-5) are both a half-game behind.
Higher goal.
Chester's Karon Burton could have gloated after Saturday night's victory over Roman Catholic.
With the win, the Clippers (23-1) are the unofficial champions of the Philadelphia region. The Delaware County team swept its five games against Philly's elite teams - Simon Gratz, Imhotep Charter, Prep Charter, Strawberry Mansion and Roman.
"We are the city champions if that's what you say," Burton said. "But we are trying to get a state championship. State championship!"
Chester is The Inquirer's top-ranked team in Southeastern Pennsylvania. The Clippers are ranked sixth nationally by USA Today.
A budding rivalry?
American Christian vs. Academy of the New Church doesn't have the flair of Chester vs. Lower Merion or Roman vs. Neumann-Goretti. But that doesn't mean that it won't eventually.
"Academy of the New Church and American Christian is going to be a rivalry for some time to come," said American Christian coach Tony Bergeron, whose Eagles defeated the Lions, 78-71, in Saturday's Kobe Bryant Scholastic Play-by-Play Classic. "Knowing Coach [Kevin] Givens, he's going to reload. And I know, speaking for me, I am reloading. . . . We are going to play each other every year."
Game of the week.
Imhotep Charter (20-2, 8-0) will travel to Prep Charter (15-5, 9-0) for Thursday's much-anticipated Public League C Division contest. The game will decide the division championship.
The Inquirer TOP 10
Boys Basketball
Team Record
Records through Saturday. Last week's rank in parentheses.
1.
Chester (2) 23-1
2.
Ac. of New Church (1) 18-2
3.
Roman Catholic (3) 14-3
4.
Pennsbury (4) 23-1
5.
Imhotep Charter (7) 20-2
6.
Norristown (9) 24-0
7.
Prep Charter (5) 15-5
8.
Ridley (10) 20-4
9.
Comm. Tech (6) 18-3
10.
Strawberry Man. (NR) 14-4
Under consideration (listed alphabetically):
Conestoga (20-4), Frankford (16-4), P. Wood (18-6), Pottstown (18-3), N. Catholic (16-5).
- Keith Pompey